Most people instinctively hate cockroaches. For many, the reasoning behind their disdain is little more than a gut reaction. Roaches are gross and creepy, and can seemingly multiply out of control in a matter of weeks. What you may not know is that they can also be hazardous to your health. Keeping up on best practices for keeping these pests out of your home, therefore, is an important way to protect your family. Here’s why calling residential pest control in Brampton is necessary after discovering roaches in your home.

They Can Cause Allergies

Although everyone is allergic to slightly different environmental triggers, cockroaches exude their own kind of allergen. Cockroach antigen, the term for this allergen, refers to an enzyme present in both their saliva and excrement. When this enzyme mixes with dust and other indoor pollutants, it can cause serious allergic reactions. 

Because roach poop is tiny and dry, it can easily become airborne. When inhaled or contacted, it can cause a number of unpleasant symptoms, including coughing, congestion, ear infection, rash, sinus infection, and wheezing. Roach allergens can quickly build up after routine cleaning, making them among the most common causes of human allergies in the world.

They Can Lead to Asthma

Asthma is a relatively complicated condition. For some people, environmental pollutants can cause a lifelong struggle with asthmatic episodes. For others, their problems go away as soon as they leave an area with airborne particles.

Researchers are only beginning to explore the connection between roach antigens and asthma, but it already seems clear that the presence of the allergen can significantly increase young childrens’ risk for developing asthma later in life. Unfortunately, families in low-income communities or dense urban centers may be exposed to more cockroach enzymes than others living elsewhere.

They Can Spread Bacteria and Disease

Diseases often spread most readily between animals within the same species. Sometimes, however, diseases can “jump species” and spread between even distantly related creatures under the right circumstances. While cockroaches are considerably less likely than mice, for example, to cause disease, they can spread several highly dangerous and contagious diseases. These include leprosy, cholera, dysentery, plague, and giardia.

Fortunately, roaches don’t spread illnesses to humans directly like mosquitos and other biting insects do. Instead, they create unhealthy conditions indirectly through fecal matter and saliva. While you can get sick by touching bugs, diseases don’t typically originate from the insects themselves; rather, bacteria can stick to passing cockroaches via the broad surfaces of bugs’ leg pads.

The most common way people unknowingly contract pathogens from insects is from drinking or eating contaminated foods. Other ways include touching contaminated items or inhaling air carrying airborne debris. The best ways to avoid picking up insect-borne illnesses are to clean eating surfaces diligently, wash your hands before eating, and seal food containers tightly. Vacuuming and sweeping floors can also help to prevent the spread of contaminated dust particles.

Removing Roaches from Your Home

Of course, the best way to ensure your family’s safety is to get rid of the cockroaches inhabiting your home for good. While an online search for do-it-yourself removal techniques is likely to yield plenty of results, you should be wary of using such methods. In most cases, they are ineffective and can allow your problem to worsen considerably before you realize you need professional help. 

The best way to get rid of pests in your home is to call an experienced exterminator for insect pests. At Truly Nolen, we know exactly how to remove an infestation and prevent it from returning. We’ve got plenty of experience determining the right removal method for your home and family. For unparalleled service, call Truly Nolen today.